Catching Kings by Kayak on Columbia River

There’s something special about catching king salmon from a kayak, and Tyler Hicks has it dialed in on the Columbia.

Tyler Hicks is a kayak angler and guide who shares his footage through “Spilt Milt Productions,” one of Wide Open Spaces’ picks for Must-See YouTube Channels. We’re consistently amazed with how each episode is filled with exciting and entertaining footage.

Hicks, who also runs his own “School of Fish” fishing school and guide service, has made a name for himself as a respected Northwest angler, serving as the fishing department manager of Sportsman’s Warehouse while living in Ridgefield, Washington, for several years.

The Kansas native has targeted everything from Crappie to Coho from his Kayak while taking part in his own Cascadia Kayak Angling challenge — catching as many species as possible in one calendar year. He’s targeted a number of species on tenkara gear as well.

This fall, Hicks is planning to a move to Idaho, but he’s spent the last few weeks of his stay in Washington targeting chinook salmon in the Columbia River from a tandem kayak. This video highlights the most awesome moments from his two-week long going away party and gives some insight into what hookups look like when trolling by kayak.

“I’m going to take a year and then relaunch my guiding business,” says Hicks. “Should be a decent chance to keep it going up there with the summer tourist crowd.”

We don’t feel the need to wish him luck: we know he’ll succeed. Live in Idaho? Keep an eye out for this dedicated kayaker!